Asian Football Confederation postpones 2nd-leg knockout ties in West Region

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the postponement of all second-leg knockout matches in the West Region of its club competitions, extending an earlier decision to delay first-leg fixtures amid ongoing regional instability.

The governing body announced Tuesday that the second-leg matches originally scheduled between March 9 and 11, 2026, will be postponed until further notice. The affected fixtures include the Round of 16 second legs in the AFC Champions League Elite, as well as the quarter-final second legs in the AFC Champions League Two and the AFC Challenge League involving West Region clubs.

The move follows the AFC’s March 1 decision to postpone the first-leg knockout matches in the West Region, citing safety and security concerns.

The confederation stated that the wellbeing of players, officials, supporters and commercial partners remains its top priority. The AFC also stated that updated schedules will be announced in due course.

Teams Affected

In the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 (West Region), the postponed second legs involve leading clubs from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Uzbekistan, including:

• Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia)
• Al Nassr FC (Saudi Arabia)
• Al Sadd SC (Qatar)
• Al Duhail SC (Qatar)
• Shabab Al Ahli (United Arab Emirates)
• Persepolis FC (Iran)
• Sepahan SC (Iran)
• Navbahor Namangan (Uzbekistan)

In the AFC Champions League Two and AFC Challenge League quarter-finals (West Region), postponed ties involve clubs such as:

• Al Kuwait SC (Kuwait)
• Al Wehdat SC (Jordan)
• Al Riffa SC (Bahrain)
• Istiklol Dushanbe (Tajikistan)

(Final match pairings are subject to AFC confirmation once new dates are set.)

The AFC Champions League Elite represents the top tier of Asian club football following the competition’s restructuring, while the AFC Champions League Two serves as the second-tier tournament.

The AFC Challenge League provides continental competition opportunities for emerging football nations.

The West Region encompasses clubs from West and Central Asia, while East Region teams — including clubs from Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, and Australia — remain unaffected.

The AFC confirmed that all East Region matches across its competitions will proceed as scheduled.